The Perfect Warrior
by Black Dragon1
Summary: Shadowlaw is back, and this time they have their eyes set on the perfect warrior. A warrior whose powers dwarf even those of the earth's mightiest streetfighter Ryu.
1. Default Chapter

Escape

Angel sat restlessly on the foot of her bed. Anxiety had been her bunkmate since she had conceived the notion that she would betray her lord and master. Blotting her sweaty palms on her pants legs, she performed a series of breathing exercises to calm her nerves.

The lone warrior ascended the side of one of the steeper cliffs in the mountain range; his powerful hands easily gripping the sparse foot and hand holds left by other intrepid climbers. Where he found none, he created his own using the knife edge of his hand.

Minutes later, he stood on the summit of the two mile high formation. Standing erect, the powerful winds whipped at his white gi and tousled his dark brown hair. His demeanor remained serene and sparse dots of perspiration on his brow were the only evidence e had exerted any effort. Staring down over the rolling expanses of grass lands, he sighed contentedly.

As if executing a line of programming, Angel flawlessly marched in time with the rest of her unit while her active thoughts focused on her escape plan. A whistle shrieked loudly to signify the end of the exercise. Her ears barely registered it, but her body instinctively headed towards her quarters.

The ki of all creation. That is what the monk Dhalsm and his late master Gouken had called it. And now, Ryu, attuned to this incredibly deep reservoir of power, drank from it.

Cupping his hands to his side, he slid one leg back until he has assumed a horse stance. Sapphire energy began amassing against his palms. Each strand of ki added its own power to the sphere rapidly growing between the two hands.

Thrusting his hands downward, he yelled "Hadoken!" and releases the orb into the ground at an angle. The ki sphere chewed away through the solid rock and exited somewhere near the middle of the mountain. As it was not his strongest version of the technique, the sphere dissipated once it escaped the interior of the cliff.

Tucking the disc into the tight waistband of her uniform, Angel allowed part of it to protrude so as not to have it fall down her pants leg and risk damaging it. Fastening some lightweight armor around her midsection, she completed the ensemble by pulling on her jumper top. It fit snuggly around her breasts, as these jumpers had a tendency to shrink after every third or fourth wash.

Removing the fourth drawer of her dresser, she revealed three energy pistols she had seduced out of the Supplies' Officer. Strapping one to the side of her ankle, she placed the other two inside the twin holsters within her top.

Grabbing the small backpack, she slung it over her shoulder. As her plan prescribed, she waited for the patrol outside her window to give the "all clear" to the security tower before launching herself out of the third story window.

Somersaulting at the last moment, she landed with a soft thud next to the patrol.

"What are you doing out of you quarters soldier?" Her reply was a swift kick to the shin. As the patrolman began to lose balance, she spun and slammed her elbow into his temple then shoved him against the wall. As the body slumped to the ground, Angel dashed across the courtyard.

His training done for the moment, Ryu had since returned the small cabin serving as home for the time being.

On the stove was a half eaten pot of rice. Devoid of his gi, the warrior meditated in the corner of his living room. Being connected to the earth's ki, during his meditations he could sense peril; and not just danger that threatened him.

If nearby, he could sense an impending danger threatening to consume another. In extreme cases, such as with the four people closest to him, he could sense their uneasiness hundreds and even thousands of miles away. Tonight however, what he sensed was near by.

Her escape plan gone awry, Angel maintained her outward composure as she battled with the panic slowly threatening to manifest itself. Tucking her body into as tight a ball as she can, she rolled past a hail of gunfire. Without missing a step, she came out of her roll and returned fire. Her ammo however had a shorter effective range missed by several inches. Ignoring that disappointed, she pressed forward towards her goal.

Ryu, once again outside, walked along the trodden paths of the forest, his senses informed him of the looming jeopardy. Having rested before beginning his journey, most of the amount of ki expended during his training had been restored. Prepared for anything, he continued his trek through familiar territory.

She heard the mobilized skimmers buzzing over head. Fortunately, the mud, leaves, and other debris kept her heat signature below tracking levels. Cursing how out of control her plan had gone, she hoped she can maintain her concealment until the morning. Until then she just had to wait.

The mechanical buzzing instantly betrayed the skimmers collective presence to Ryu as he rushed in that direction.

"We have a heat signature. It's not her though," remarked a pilot as he noticed how much larger the body image on his screen was.

Suddenly, a blue light ripped off one of his engines before engulfing said engine in flames. Leaping to safety, the pilot watched as his skimmer crumpled like tinfoil against a tree.

The sound of the crash nearly caused Angel to give away her location. _What the hell is going on out there!_ her mind screamed as another skimmer was reduced to scrap metal.

His facial features, honed to a perfect mask of indifference, Ryu waited for the four downed pilots to initiate an offensive.

The first drew his gun and fired. Ryu effortlessly slipped past the bullet and rammed his palm into the man's stomach. Doubling over, his collar bone snaps as Ryu drives his fist into it.

Leaping over the fallen soldier, he twisted in mid air and slammed his heel into another's jaw. The man collided with a tree as Ryu diverted his attention the remaining two men whom had decided to attack in tandem. Both their efforts were thwarted as Ryu either swatted their punches away or avoided them completely.

A roundhouse to the throat ends the assault of the first, and a jumping hook kick to the temple finishes off his partner.

Mysteriously, the sound of soldiers and skimmers had ceased. Arguing with whether or not it was merely a trap to for her from hiding, Angel decided to chance it and made her way through the foliage.

A few meters ahead of her, she was shocked to see the unconscious bodies of the soldiers sent to retrieve her.

"What happened to them?" she wondered aloud. Although just above a whisper, her query was answered.

"I did."

Drawing one of her weapons she leveled the barrel in the direction of the voice.

"I mean you no harm. I felt that you were in danger."

"I could have handled it just fine on my own," she replied harshly. However, after replacing her weapon, her tone softens. "But thanks anyway."

"Mind telling me why these guys are after you?"

"I can't right now. I'm sorry, but I have to leave now. Thanks again."

Ryu watched as she disappeared into the darkness of the forest. _Funny thing is, I think I know why already. _ _Seems as if the rumors of Bison's demise were exaggerated_.


	2. Rivals

Rivals

Removing the suit jacket from his bulky frame, Sagat stretched his long limbs. Although tailored to his specifics, it still felt restrictive. He was a man of simple tastes and he was at his most comfortable in wraps and fighting trunks.

He sat behind his desk and surveyed the list of entrants vying for title of National Champ. A world wide Street Fighter tournament was his true goal, but he wanted to slowly rebuild the prestige of the event and show the public Bison had no influence this time.

The victor of his national tournament would claim 734952.50 Baht or $24,000 U.S. dollars as well as being the representative for Thailand.

Finalizing the brackets, he delegated the responsibilities to his tournament committee and took his leave.

Time had healed his wounds, especially the mental one he suffered at the hands of Ryu. Neither of them held a definitive victory over the other which added fuel to a now friendly rivalry.

The scar on his chest, much lighter than it had been in recent years, served as a testament to what he had once lost long ago: his warrior spirit.

After the Satsu No Hado had briefly emerged in Ryu doing their first confrontation, the cheap shot had enraged him. The thought that Ryu had been stronger and had nearly crippled him had led him to Bison.

It also lead to his loss against Adon, who although did not walk away from the altercation, was declared the new emperor of Muay Thai.

As time passed, he found himself breaking free of the rage that had consumed him and despised himself for the atrocities he perpetrated as a Shadaloo Lieutenant.

Just before the conclusion of the second tournament, he had found that Ryu was being controlled by Bison.

Smacking around the Pyscho Power induced fighter, he came to terms with the anger Ryu must have faced as an upstart taking on someone of his caliber and slowly broke away from Bison's employ. At the conclusion of the battle, after Ryu broke free of Bison's control, the two agreed to settle their battle at a latter date.

Sagat had migrated to a patio and leaned over the balcony. Below was the business complex his winnings from various tournaments and liquidated assets from Shadaloo had built. _I can feel it too Ryu. Our paths will cross soon_.

Eliza Masters glanced up from her novel and smiled at the sight before her. In the front yard, her beautiful son and adoring husband were actually engaged in a game not involving martial arts training. Rough housing, perhaps, but not the strenuous ordeal of full contact sparring.

As the two Masters' males rolled around in the grass, she looked up as the back door opened to reveal Sean. Holding the black cordless phone from Ken's home office, Ken's apprentice acknowledged Eliza with a smile and made his way to Ken.

"Gotcha!" the seven year old boy yelled, his knees across his fathers chest and palms pressing against his father's shoulders.

"Ken," the soft voice of Sean called out, "telephone." He offered the phone to Ken, who contorted his body in such a way that Mel lost his grip. With his quick reflexes, Sean secured the boy's other hand and hoisted him from his father.

"Ken here," the currently red-haired fighter announced.

"Hi Ken, it's me."

"Ryu!"

"Is uncle Ryu coming for a visit?"

"Be quiet. Not you buddy. So what's up?"

"Trouble I'm afraid. I met a woman last night."

"I see. I've always said that women are trouble." He received an icy glare from his beloved. "With notable exceptions," he redeemed himself.

"Not that kind. It seems our favorite maniac is alive and well."

"You mean Bison?"

"One in the same."

"Have you warned Chun-Li?"

Slight pause. "No. I don't know how to get in touch with her."

"Well, I'll see what I can do. Are you coming to the states?"

"I'm catching a boat to the mainland in a few minutes."

"Okay, but let me pay for your plane ticket."

"Appreciated. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah. Good luck buddy."

"So I suppose you and your sparring buddy are going off on one of those little adventures just like when you were kids."

"It's not like that hon. Just catching up with one another."

"You said that last time and were damn near killed by a god-like being."

"Operative words being 'damn near.' Besides honey, we're both a lot stronger and we're not going up against a deity." He leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Don't worry yourself. Just two old friends getting together. Nothing too dangerous." He flashed her a smile and kissed her again. This time after they part, she reciprocated the smile.

"Just don't go getting yourself hurt. So is he coming here or Seattle?"

"Here. Don't need to broadcast to the world that the number one street fighter on the planet is back in the United States."

Smiling brightly, she remarked, "It's good to see you talk that way about someone other than yourself."

"What he probably meant was that Ryu is the best street fighter, but he is the best at what he does," Sean added.

"Oh, I see. Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with a bubble bath. Care to join me?" Her devilish smile drew him in and he followed behind her. Sean and Mel look at one another, shrug their shoulders and follow behind them

END OF PART TWO


	3. What Lies Beyond

"Tiger!"

An amber flash of horizontal crescent shaped light shot towards a nearby training dummy. Though made of the hardest wood in the country, it fared as well as a sheet of paper against a bullet.

It was the third most powerful version of Sagat's Tiger Shot technique and he was content with its potency.

Since his meeting with the tournament committee, he had changed into a pair of royal purple trunks with gold trim. Bandages were wound around his shins, forearms, first and feet. He resembled the image a young woman had committed to her canvas days before the second Street Fighter tournament.

He made a note to check up on the young woman then thanked his four training partners for the session. Each was a world champion in their preferred discipline and each would remember the overwhelming power of the true Emperor of Muay Thai.

As he stepped into the hallway, he nearly knocked down a small teen dressed in a tan courier's uniform.

"Good afternoon, sir. A message."

Sagat took the small cardboard envelope and scanned the contents until his eyes fell upon a familiar winged skull emblem.

"Who sent this boy?"

"I apologize sir. I do not know."

The night had not been kind to Angel. She had lost her backpack and two of her weapons were in dire need of a recharge.

Little light broke the veil of trees which left the foul smelling woman to stumble blindly through the wilderness.

After what had felt like hours of aimless wandering, she saw the shape of a structure.

As she drew closer she could see that the structure was a small cabin.

A stack of cut firewood was piled neatly and set to the side of the steps.

Cautiously, she approached the dwelling and listened for activity. There was a barely audible sound of water being displaced and curiosity forced her towards it.

Crouching low, she dared a glance and immediately threw both hands over her month. The man whom had rescued her had just risen from a small tub and every ounce of his perfectly sculptured body was on display.

She had no idea how long she had been staring until the chiseled muscles of his glutes vanished behind a white towel.

Angel backed away slowly then cursed as she stepped on a scattering of excessively loud leaves.

"So we meet again." Towel wrapped securely around his waist, the man leaned out of the window.

"I'm sorry for spying on you." It was proving difficult not to stare at his marble hard chest. "I got a little turned around back there, but I think I know which way to go now."

"It's good to see you're not hurt. Would you like to come inside?" He stepped aside and Angel's eyes traveled the length of his torso. Muscles she didn't realize people possessed outside of comic books rippled as he made space for her to enter.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have somewhere to be."

"And how long do you think you avoid your from Shadaloo?"

"You know about them?"

"Our paths have crossed in the past. You'll need all the help you can get if you're on their radar."

"No offense, but how do I know I can trust you?"

"Give me a chance to earn it. Come inside, get cleaned up and then consider your options."

Angel shrugged and stepped inside the cabin.

"Shin Shoryuken!"

Anyone watching from a distance would swear they were watching the ascension of an angel towards heaven as Ken Masters rose from the ground higher than most mortal men were capable.

Enveloped in a spiral of ki, the grass beneath him displaced in a similar matter as it did when a helicopter hovered in place.

In the seconds he defied gravity, his mind retreated to his far off youth.

What felt like torturous training to his pre-teen body, was looked upon fondly by his adult self. Every workout, every thump to the back of his head, and every day training with Sensei Gouken and Ryu had helped to mold him.

He landed on one foot and the other knee and let his mind speak with his deceased master.

_Ken, do you remember?_

_What Sensei?_

_Your answer. What do you believe lies beyond your fist?"_

_My fate._

_Only yours?_

"The true warrior enters the arena with all his skills at the ready."

The voice booming inside his skull was not the only thing that filled Ryu with unease.

His body did not feel like his own; the limbs too short, his head too large, his voice too tiny, and his fear too overwhelming.

He had to be dreaming, but everything felt exactly as it did on that day.

The sweat dripping down his back, the fear rooting his feet in place; it was maddening.

"He was a fool."

The voice no longer rattled his skull. It was behind him; a weight pressing against him, daring him to turn around and face its source.

"How can you call yourself a warrior if you are not willing to do what it takes to achieve victory?"

Raw ki burnt Ryu's skin. The voice's very presence was stronger than anything he had ever felt.

His sensei had once demonstrated the Go Hadoken. At the time, Ryu and Ken believed it to be the most powerful technique in the world. What other human could possibly destroy a mountain with the energy with his body?

"Listen boy. Seek out the truth of your art. Embrace the Satsui No Hado. Evolve. Or wither away like your master."

Ryu closed his eyes and fell to his knees as an eerie quiet replaced the voice. Before he opened his eyes, he knew he was back in his cabin and back in the body nearly two decades older.

The woman he had rescued from Shadaloo was soundly sleeping in his bed.

Akuma, Gouki, or whatever the hell he was calling himself these days, was the most powerful living creature on the planet. He was a force of nature; Satsui No Hado had crushed Psycho Power as easily as a man's shoe extinguished the life of a roach.

It appeared to everyone involved with the second Street Fighter tournament that Bison had been killed.

Was someone else running the organization? What were the extents of Psycho Power? Did Bison somehow survive?

Ryu had proven that his skills were adequate to beat Bison in a fight.

Regardless of Bison's status, what lied beyond that was the inevitable confrontation with Akuma.

If Bison was alive, it would not set well with the man who fancied himself the perfect warrior.

Ryu would help the woman as much as he could, but he had to prepare for the possibilities that awaited him.


End file.
